[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 106 (Thursday, June 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33511-33513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11849]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2021-0171; FF07CAMM00-FX-ES111607MRG01]


Marine Mammals; Letters of Authorization To Take Pacific Walruses 
and Polar Bears in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, and Northern Sea Otters in 
Cook Inlet, Alaska, in 2021

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of issuance.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 
as amended, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued Letters of 
Authorization for the nonlethal take of polar bears and Pacific 
walruses incidental to oil and gas industry exploration, development, 
and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and the adjacent northern 
coast of Alaska as well as northern sea otters in Cook Inlet, Alaska, 
in 2021. This notice announces the lists of Letters of Authorizations 
issued in calendar year 2021. The Letters of Authorization stipulate 
conditions and methods that minimize impacts to polar bears, Pacific 
walruses, and northern sea otters from these activities.

ADDRESSES: 
    Document availability: You may view this notice as well as the 
Letters of Authorization at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket 
No. FWS-R7-ES-2021-0171, or these documents may be requested as 
described under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Hamilton, Marine Mammal 
Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 341, 1011 East Tudor 
Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, by email at [email protected] or 
by telephone at 1-800-362-5148. Individuals in the United States who 
are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may 
dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay 
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay 
services offered within their country to make

[[Page 33512]]

international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 5, 2016, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service (Service) published in the Federal Register a final 
rule (81 FR 52276) establishing regulations that allow us to authorize 
the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar 
bears (Ursus maritimus) and Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus 
divergens) during year-round oil and gas industry exploration, 
development, and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent 
northern coast of Alaska. These incidental take regulations (ITRs) were 
located in subpart J in part 18 of title 50 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) and were effective through August 5, 2021. The rule 
prescribed a process under which we issue Letters of Authorization 
(LOAs) to applicants conducting activities as described under the 
provisions of the regulations.
    On August 5, 2021, the Service published in the Federal Register a 
new rule (86 FR 42982) that replaced the previous ITRs and expires on 
August 5, 2026. This new rule similarly prescribes a process under 
which we issue LOAs to applicants conducting activities as described 
under the provisions of the regulations.
    Each LOA stipulates conditions or methods that are specific to the 
activity and location. Holders of the LOAs must use methods and conduct 
activities in a manner that minimizes to the greatest extent 
practicable adverse impacts on Pacific walruses and polar bears and 
their habitat, and on the availability of these marine mammals for 
subsistence purposes. No intentional take or lethal incidental take is 
authorized under these regulations.
    In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and our regulations at 50 
CFR part 18, subpart J, in 2021, we issued LOAs to the companies in the 
Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska shown in table 1. 
The Service notes that in August 2021 we issued the following LOAs (21-
01, 21-02, 21-03, 21-04, 21-05, 21-06, 21-07, 21-08). After issuance of 
the LOAs, the Service determined that they should be revised to better 
reflect requirements pertaining to monitoring potential polar bear 
denning activity; therefore, the Service issued corrected LOAs in 
October 2021 reflecting this revision. Further, the Service has 
received requests from certain LOA holders that their issued LOA be 
amended to reflect new activities or a change in existing activities. 
The Service includes in the table below all original LOAs, corrected 
LOAs, and amended LOAs issued in 2021.

 Table 1--Letters of Authorization Issued for Oil and Gas Development Activities in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, in
                                                      2021
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                 Company                                Project                            LOA No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conoco Philips Alaska....................  Oil and gas exploration and       16-13 [2nd Amendment].
                                            development activities of the
                                            Kuparuk and Alpine oilfields
                                            and associated units. * This
                                            LOA was issued under the 2016-
                                            2021 ITRs.
Conoco Philips Alaska....................  Geotechnical survey within the    21-02.
                                            Arctic Slope Regional
                                            Corporation mine site and the
                                            installation of four survey
                                            monuments around the existing
                                            Colville Delta No. 4 gravel
                                            pad. * This LOA was issued
                                            under the 2016-2021 ITRs.
Exxon Mobil/Hilcorp......................  Operational activities in         21-01.
                                            support of the Point Thomson
                                            production facility in the
                                            Point Thomson Unit (PTU) of the
                                            North Slope, Alaska. (Date
                                            issued: 08/05/2021).
Exxon Mobil/Hilcorp......................  Operational activities in         21-01 [Corrected].
                                            support of the Point Thomson
                                            production facility in the PTU
                                            of the North Slope, Alaska.
                                            (Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Exxon Mobil..............................  Operational activities in         21-01 [Amended].
                                            support of the Point Thomson
                                            production facility in the PTU
                                            of the North Slope, Alaska.
                                            (Date issued: 12/09/2021).
Eni U.S. Operating.......................  Oil and gas drilling and          21-02.
                                            production on Spy Island
                                            drillsite and Oooguruk
                                            drillsite, maintenance and
                                            operation of wells and
                                            facilities at Oliktok
                                            production pad, and operation
                                            of facilities at Oooguruk tie-
                                            in pad and Nikaitchuq
                                            operations center. (Date
                                            issued: 08/05/2021).
Eni U.S. Operating.......................  Oil and gas drilling and          21-02 [Corrected].
                                            production on Spy Island
                                            drillsite and Oooguruk
                                            drillsite, maintenance and
                                            operation of wells and
                                            facilities at Oliktok
                                            production pad, and operation
                                            of facilities at Oooguruk tie-
                                            in pad and Nikaitchuq
                                            operations center. (Date
                                            issued: 10/18/2021).
Oil Search Alaska........................  Constructing and maintaining      21-03.
                                            pads, gravel roads, ice roads,
                                            and a boat launch; drilling and
                                            associated well-testing;
                                            installing temporary
                                            facilities, pipelines, and
                                            culverts; and conducting field
                                            surveys within and adjacent to
                                            the Pikka Unit. (Date issued: 8/
                                            5/2021).
Oil Search Alaska........................  Constructing and maintaining      21-03 [Corrected].
                                            pads, gravel roads, ice roads,
                                            and a boat launch; drilling and
                                            associated well-testing;
                                            installing temporary
                                            facilities, pipelines, and
                                            culverts; and conducting field
                                            surveys within and adjacent to
                                            the Pikka Unit. (Date issued:
                                            10/18/2021).
Glacier Oil and Gas Corporation..........  Ice road construction,            21-04.
                                            exploration, development, and
                                            oil production activities
                                            associated with the Badami
                                            oilfield in the North Slope.
                                            (Date issued: 08/05/2021).
Glacier Oil and Gas Corporation..........  Ice road construction,            21-04 [Corrected].
                                            exploration, development, and
                                            oil production activities
                                            associated with the Badami
                                            oilfield in the North Slope.
                                            (Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Hilcorp..................................  Oil and gas exploration,          21-05.
                                            production, development and
                                            support activities in the Milne
                                            Point, Duck Island (Endicott),
                                            Northstar Island, and Prudhoe
                                            Bay operation areas of the
                                            North Slope. (Date issued: 08/
                                            05/2021).
Hilcorp..................................  Oil and gas exploration,          21-05 [Corrected].
                                            production, development and
                                            support activities in the Milne
                                            Point, Duck Island (Endicott),
                                            Northstar Island, and Prudhoe
                                            Bay operation areas of the
                                            North Slope. (Date issued: 10/
                                            18/2021).

[[Page 33513]]

 
Conoco Philips Alaska....................  This field-wide LOA is for        21-06.
                                            activities associated with the
                                            operations at the Kuparuk River
                                            Unit, Colville River Unit,
                                            Greater Mooses Tooth Unit, and
                                            surrounding non-unit area.
                                            (Date issued: 08/05/2021).
Conoco Philips Alaska....................  This field-wide LOA is for        21-06 [Corrected].
                                            activities associated with the
                                            operations at the Kuparuk River
                                            Unit, Colville River Unit,
                                            Greater Mooses Tooth Unit, and
                                            surrounding non-unit area.
                                            (Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Conoco Philips Alaska....................  Construction on the Greater       21-07.
                                            Mooses Tooth Two Pad/Mooses
                                            Tooth 7 within the National
                                            Petroleum Reserve--Alaska.
                                            (Date issued: 08/05/2021).
Conoco Phillips Alaska...................  Construction on the Greater       21-07 [Corrected].
                                            Mooses Tooth Two Pad/Mooses
                                            Tooth 7 within the National
                                            Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. (Date
                                            issued: 10/18/2021).
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.........  Operation and maintenance of the  21-08.
                                            Trans Alaska Pipeline System,
                                            which extends from Pump Station
                                            1 in the Prudhoe Bay oilfield
                                            to the Valdez Marine Terminal.
                                            (Date issued: 08/18/2021).
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.........  Operation and maintenance of the  21-08 [Corrected].
                                            Trans Alaska Pipeline System,
                                            which extends from Pump Station
                                            1 in the Prudhoe Bay oilfield
                                            to the Valdez Marine Terminal.
                                            (Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Conoco Philips...........................  Activities associated with        21-09.
                                            plugging and abandonment of
                                            existing exploration wells
                                            (Scout 1, Cassin 1, and Cassin
                                            6) in the Bear Tooth Unit and
                                            construction and maintenance of
                                            ice pads and ice roads. (Date
                                            issued: 09/15/2021).
Conoco Philips Alaska....................  Activities associated with        21-09 [Amended].
                                            plugging and abandonment of
                                            existing exploration wells
                                            (Scout 1, Cassin 1, and Cassin
                                            6) in the Bear Tooth Unit and
                                            construction and maintenance of
                                            ice pads and ice roads. (Date
                                            issued: 12/01/2021).
SAExploration, Inc.......................  Narwhal Phase II Seismic Survey   21-10.
                                            in the National Petroleum
                                            Reserve--Alaska and Kuukpik
                                            Corporation lands. (Date
                                            issued: 12/03/2021).
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* The 2016-2021 ITRs were established by a final rule published at 81 FR 52276, August 5, 2016.

    On August 1, 2019, the Service published in the Federal Register a 
final rule (84 FR 37716) establishing regulations that allow us to 
authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small 
numbers of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) during year-
round oil and gas industry exploration, development, production, and 
transportation activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The rule established 
subpart K in part 18 of title 50 of the CFR and is effective through 
August 1, 2024. The rule prescribes a process under which we issue LOAs 
to applicants conducting activities as described under the provisions 
of the regulations.
    Each LOA stipulates conditions or methods that are specific to the 
activity and location. Holders of the LOAs must use methods and conduct 
activities in a manner that minimizes to the greatest extent 
practicable adverse impacts on northern sea otters and their habitat 
and on the availability of northern sea otters for subsistence 
purposes. No intentional take or lethal incidental take is authorized 
under these regulations.
    In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and our regulations at 50 
CFR part 18, subpart K, in 2021, we issued an LOA to the following 
company in Cook Inlet, Alaska, as shown in table 2.

  Table 2--Letter of Authorization Issued for Oil and Gas Development Activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska, in 2021
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Company                                Project                            LOA No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hilcorp Alaska...........................  Hilcorp's Lower Cook Inlet Outer  21-CI-01.
                                            Continental Shelf geohazard
                                            survey, Lower Cook Inlet
                                            exploratory drilling, North
                                            Cook Inlet Unit subsea well
                                            plug and abandonment activity,
                                            and routine maintenance of
                                            pipelines and platforms in the
                                            Cook Inlet.
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    Authority: We issue this notice under the authority of the MMPA (16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.).

Peter Fasbender,
Assistant Regional Director/Fisheries and Ecological Services, Alaska 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2022-11849 Filed 6-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P